Newborn Essentials for second baby

I am 6 months late with this but better late than never right? Between moving, living in a temporary space etc, I am very clear on what baby items have been essential to our family during those first few months. Wanted to share my must-haves with you. Some are the same as Otis and there are a few new additions to the mix. I have used all of these items so much for these first few months.

Snoo bassinet: This was SUCH a lifesaver for us. It was always something in my budget that I planned for with Otis because I was really wanting to try and use it. With Duke, we already had some tricks up our sleeves for how to get the most out of it. Like using the double swaddle technique and using the risers from their company to slightly elevate the head part of the bassinet. Mostly, especially while packing for the move, moving, and being in a new space, the snoo gave me peace of mind that Duke would always be safe when sleeping. We even utilized the rental program when we moved to ensure we had that ready to go when I moved into our temporary living situation. I always get questions about if I think the snoo is worth it and I have the saem answer I did with Otis: 1 million percent worth it in my opinion!!! Our transition from snoo to crib also went very smoothly which I can speak to at a different time but wanted to share that he was not hooked on the movement.

Hatch Baby Grow Smart Changing Pad: I used this changing table with Otis as well. I love the design of it, it’s easy to wipe down, and it has a built in scale! You log into the app and can track the baby’s weight which I always love in those newborn days to make sure my little guy is growing.

Hatch Rest Plus Sound Machine: I can not live without these sound machines. They are loud which is essential. I use one in Duke’s room as well as one outside of his room in the hallway to drown out noise from the house. What is great about these is that they are also nightlights and work via wifi in an app so it’s easy to adjust them and save favorite settings. Another great feature is that they have reserve battery for when the power goes out (which is has here and its been a lifesaver!!) or you want to just move it around during the day, it can run without being plugged in. I use this in Otis’ room also with sound on and night light and it has a time to rise function as well. I literally love all of the Hatch products so much. Pricey but by far the best sound machine I have used.

Nanit pro baby monitor: I am obsessed with this baby monitor for a few reasons. It works on wifi and you access the app through your phone. The picture quality is amazing, we have sleep insights set up so it tells us when Duke went to sleep etc, gives the room temp, and also has special breathwear that helps to monitor baby’s breathing. Still use a nanit for Otis as well. I love that the phone app has background audio as well so even if your app is closed, you can hear the monitor on.

Panasonic extra long range video baby monitor: Since our temporary living situation has bad wifi, we invested in a new non-wifi baby monitor to use as backup for the nanit and for travel when needed. I picked this one because it has a long range which is essential because our old monitor couldn’t reach the range where we wanted to use it here. This one has held up well for us and the long range is great.

DockATot: I used this with Otis and it is such a great item to set baby down in a safe and cozy space when supervised. I actually STILL use this with Duke at 6 months as a place to set his towel into before his bath and then after his bath, I place him in his towel and wrap him up in his dockatot. We also used our dockatot for elevated tummy time when he wasn’t loving it as much it’s great to prop their hands over the edge for tummy time. Supervised of course!

My brest friend nursing pillow: If I had to pick one nursing pillow this one would be it. I had it with Otis and it was recommend by the lactation consultants that I met with through my hospital after having Otis. I LOVE using it to have a stable surface to feed him and reduce strain on my own body. I am still using it with Duke now at 6 months.

butterr nursing pillow: I used this one alot at night when Duke was teenie tiny! It’s a newer brand and I love how beautiful it is. The advantage to this one at night was just pulling it over instead of having to buckle like my brest friend pillow. It was also nice and cushioned so it felt really nice with a very fresh newborn. I haven’t used it in a while but once Duke starts sitting more independently which should be soon, I will use it as a pillow to place behind him for some added stability.

Ollie swaddle: By far hands down the only swaddle you need. These babies have been hard to find in stock but luckily for me I had a bunch from when I had Otis. They are the only swaddle my kids don’t bust out of. Period. What I also loved was using this swaddle before putting Duke into his Snoo sack because he would bust out of the snoo sack so that is a GREAT hack for my snoo mamas.

Artipoppe carrier: This is a new one with Duke. It has been by far my favorite baby carrier overall. I used it from week 1 at home. The price tag is hefty but the amount I have used it and in comparison to other carriers I have tried out, it is very worth the money in my opinion. The fabrics are so soft and it’s simple to wear and obviously the prints and patterns just make you feel happy. I would say the only negative about this one is that baby can not face out but I have used and still use this going on 6 months strong and can’t say enough good things about it. Also love that it’s a small business from Holland and being Dutch, I just love that!

Solly baby carrier: I also used this with Otis and it has been a favorite with Duke in the early days also. Blake also really enjoyed wearing this one around the house because it’s very comfy. Solly baby has a ton of great videos online also sharing how to get the best fit and tie the wrap and I just love how cozy and snuggly it is in a simple lightweight fabric. 

Travel sound machine: We used this one with Otis and it’s ESSENTIAL when on the go with baby. Whether it’s a stroller walk with the bassinet, or the car seat, for naps we always use white noise and this comes in handy.

Louloulollipop pacifier clip: We used a paci for the first few months and these clips are great for reducing drops. Duke hasn’t used a paci since 3 months so now we use the clips for teethers or toys which works great.

lovevery play kits and mat: I used these with Otis and the toys are incredible because not only are they so beautiful and well made but they are thoughtful made with a baby’s development in mind. Otis LOVED and continues to love their toddler toys so I wanted to make sure I had their toys on hand for Duke also. Their mat is incredible for tummy time.

Baby’s brew bottle warmer: This is something new I saw in an instagram ad that I bought before we moved. Since we would occasionally give Duke a formula bottle, I was worried about what to do when we were on the airplane if he needed a bottle since he was used to drinking warm formula because of our formula maker. This little gadget works AMAZING and can heat a water bottle to the perfect temp in 5 minutes. Major game changer. Also since we didn’t have our formula maker with us during our temp living situation, I used this when we needed to make a bottle. Highly suggest if you are a mom on the go. It heats water AND breastmilk so works well for baby fed all kinds of ways.

Baby brezza formula pro maker: Basically think of this as the Nespresso of formula makers. You dump in your formula and push a button and it makes the perfect warm formula bottle by mixing the formula and water together for you. Since we cut our middle of the night feed really early we did a lot of middle of the night bottles and this machine came in handy for when your are sleep deprived and want to make a bottle fast on demand. I am telling you, worth every penny!!

Nuna pipa lite lx car seat: I saved my seat from Otis because I checked the expiration date and it’s still good! I am NOT a car seat expert so only sharing what we use. Remember, a car seat is only great if its installed and used properly. I follow @safeintheseat who is a certified car seat specialist and she has incredible tips and a course to help with car seat confidence and installation. I love nuna products and this seat is VERY light so I have loved it with Otis and now enjoy it with Duke.

Nuna mixx next stroller: This is a new stroller for Duke and what I like is it’s smaller than a double stroller but still sizeable enough for filling up with things down below. I am a sucker for all things nuna. If I had to pick a favorite stroller/seat maker it would be nuna because of the function and design. I am missing my stroller dearly which is in storage.

Uppababy vista v2: I had to pick one stroller to bring with us for our travel at the airport and for temp living so I bought our double UppaBaby. This way I was able to utilize the car seat as well as toddler seat and the ride along board for Otis. Something I love about Uppababy is that if you get their travelsafe travel bags and register them, if your items get damaged during travel they will fix/replace them! So I made sure to get the bags since we were gate checking them at the airport when we moved. We have used it often since I love the kickboard you can add on so Otis can step on and take a ride without being strapped in a seat.

Sleep consultant: I wanted to share my sleep consultants info here so people had a place to reference it! I used Melissa Brown of  SleepShopOC and I am telling you she is a sleep guru and the sweetest woman. I used a more generic course last time around with Otis. Sleep is precious and one thing I wanted to create good habits again. With a toddler, and moving etc, we had alot of moving parts going on so having Melissa creating a custom sleep plan for me and being able to text and reach out to her was incredible. Sleep consultants can come with a heavy price tag, but the kind of personal attention we received was well worth it IMO. Right now, Duke is happily in his crib at 6 months, sleeping like a freaking angel and I have Melissa to thank for that.

Beis ultimate diaper bag: So I still LOVE my freshly picked diaper bags but with 2 kids and flying I kept getting targeted ads on instagram for beis diaper bags so I decided to get one and test it out. I LOVE the one I bought mostly because it has a fold out flap for diaper changes which is epic for being on the go. Epic. Really love using it!

Frida mom upside down peri bottle: So weird newborn essential but I LOVED this peri bottle during my delivery recovery. Fridababy and Fridamom stuff is amazing. 

Nordstrom lingerie pajamas: Good pajamas are key for post partum recover. I had these before and have them in the shirtdress also. What Iove is the buttons give it easy access for breastfeeding. 

Cake maternity nursing bra: This is my go to nursing bra because I like the padding in it so I never have any leaky situations. It is all soft and cozy too so it doesn’t cause any boob issues for me.

Legendairy milk Sunflower lecithin: I swear by this supplement to help prevent painful clogs in my breasts from breastfeeding. I remember this trick with Otis so I made sure to have a bottle on hand for after I delivered and take 2 pills a day. One in am and one in pm. 

Mason Grey robe: A cozy robe was essential in the early days. Perfect to lounge in and breastfeed in and still feel cute. Wore these during my pregnancy. THey are so soft and have great prints.

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